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from the right, other Celts who had leveled their spears against him; who, having driven the tips of their spears into his right side, at once righted the soldier and set him upright in the middle. 4.7.2 And it was an extraordinary marvel to behold. For those on the left were hastening to overturn him, but those on the right, having fixed their spears in his side, as if opposing the former and bracing spears against spears, made the emperor stand upright. And as he steadied himself more bravely and gripped the horse and the saddle-cloth together tightly with his legs, at that moment something occurred that was proof of his valor. For the horse, being on the one hand very spirited and light-footed, and on the other hand very athletic and warlike (for he had previously taken this horse from Bryennius along with the crimson-dyed saddle-cloth, when he captured him in the course of the battle while Nicephorus Botaneiates was still emperor), and, to put it simply, inspired by divine providence, immediately rears up and becomes airborne and stands on the edge of the aforesaid rock as if lightened with wings and, as the myths have it, taking the wings of Pegasus; Bryennius used to call this horse Sgouritzes. And the barbarians' spears, as if striking empty air, some fell from their hands, while others, having been entangled in parts of the emperor's clothing, followed the horse as it was lifted into the air. And he immediately cuts off the spears that were stuck to him. 4.7.3 And he was neither disturbed in spirit, being in such dire straits, nor confused in his thoughts, but quickly grasps what is advantageous and removes himself from the midst of the incredible situation. But the Celts stood gaping, astonished at what had happened; for it was worthy of astonishment; and seeing him turn in another direction, they pursued him again. And he for a long time showed his back to the pursuing soldiers, then turning the reins and meeting one of the pursuers, he drove his spear through his chest; and he at once lay supine on the ground. 4.7.4 And the emperor, turning the reins again, kept to his former path. He then encounters not a few Celts from the vanguard who were pursuing the Roman forces. And they, seeing him from a distance, stood with their shields locked, wishing to rest their horses, and at the same time wanting to take him alive and bring him from there as some spoil to Robert. And he, at once fleeing the pursuers behind him and seeing those in front, had given up the hopes that could save him. But collecting himself, since he saw one among the others and thought from his physique and the gleam flashing from his armor that he was Robert, he set his horse and charges against him; and that one from there aimed his spear at him. And indeed, both charged and rushed against each other in the space between. 4.7.5 But the emperor, aiming his hand first, strikes him with his spear; and it passed straight through his breast to his back. And the ground immediately held the barbarian; for his soul at once left him, the wound having been mortal. And for the rest, the phalanx having been split, the emperor rode out through their midst, having found safety for himself in the slaughter of this barbarian. And they, immediately seeing the wounded man thrown to the ground, gathered around the fallen one and busied themselves with him. And those pursuing the emperor from behind, seeing them, dismounted from their horses and, recognizing the man, began to wail and lament. But it was not Robert, but another of the notable men and his second-in-command. And while they were occupied with these things, the emperor had made his way forward.

4.8.1 But I, in the midst of my narrative, forgot, partly because of the nature of history, and partly because of the extraordinary character of the events, that I am writing of my father's achievements. For not wishing to make the history suspect, I often pass over

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δεξιόθεν ἄλλους Κελτοὺς τὰ δόρατα πρὸς ἐκεῖνον ὀρθώσαντας· οἳ καὶ τὰ ἄκρα τῶν δοράτων κατὰ τὴν δεξιὰν πλευρὰν ἐμβα λόντες ὤρθωσάν τε ἀθρόον τὸν στρατιώτην καὶ εἰς τὸ μέσον κατέστησαν. 4.7.2 Καὶ ἦν ἰδεῖν θαῦμα παράδοξον. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ ἐξ εὐωνύμων ἀνατρέπειν ἠπείγοντο, οἱ δὲ ἐκ τῶν δεξιῶν τὰ δόρατα τῇ πλευρᾷ πήξαντες ὥσπερ τοῖς πρῴην ἐναντιούμενοι καὶ ἀντερείδοντες δόρασι δόρατα ἐπ' ὀρθοῦ σχήματος τὸν βασιλέα ἐποίησαν. Ἑδράσαντος δὲ ἑαυτὸν γενναιότερον καὶ συσφίγξαντος περιβάδην τὸν ἵππον ὁμοῦ καὶ τὴν ἐφεστρίδα τηνικαῦτα γίνεταί τι τῆς γενναιότητος ἐκείνου τεκμήριον. Ὁ γὰρ ἵππος ἄλλως μὲν καὶ θερμότατος ὢν καὶ ὑγροσκελής, ἄλλως δὲ καὶ ἀθλητι κώτατος καὶ πολεμικός (ἔφθη γὰρ ὅπου τοῦτον ἀναλα βέσθαι τοῦ Βρυεννίου μετὰ τῆς ἐρυθροβαφοῦς ἐφεστρίδος, ὁπότε τοῦτον εἷλεν ἐν τῷ καιρῷ τῆς μάχης βασιλεύοντος ἔτι Νικηφόρου τοῦ Βοτανειάτου), τὸ δὲ ὅλον εἰπεῖν, ὑπὸ θείας προνοίας ἐμπνευσθεὶς πάλλεταί τε εὐθὺς καὶ διαέριος γίνεται καὶ ἐπ' ἄκρου τῆς εἰρημένης πέτρας ἐφίσταται ὥσπερ ὑπόπτερος κουφισθεὶς καί, τοῦτο δὴ τὸ τῶν μύθων, Πηγάσου πτερὰ λαβών· Σγουρίτζην τουτονὶ τὸν ἵππον ὁ Βρυέννιος ὠνόμαζε. Τὰ δὲ τῶν βαρβάρων δόρατα ὥσπερ κενεμβατήσαντα τὰ μὲν καὶ τῶν χειρῶν τούτων ἐξέπεσον, τὰ δὲ διαπεπαρμένα τοῖς μέρεσι τοῦ ἐσθήματος τοῦ βασιλέως ἐναπομείναντα μετεωρισθέντα τῷ ἵππῳ συνηκολούθησαν. Ὁ δ' εὐθὺς ἀποκόπτει τὰ ἐπαγόμενα δόρατα. 4.7.3 Καὶ οὔτε τεθορύβητο τὴν ψυχὴν ἐν τοσούτοις δεινοῖς καταστὰς οὔτε συνεθολώθη τοὺς λογισμούς, ἀλλὰ ταχὺ τοῦ συνοίσοντος γίνεται καὶ τὸ παράδοξον ἐκ μέσου ἑαυτὸν ποιεῖται. Οἱ δέ γε Κελτοὶ κεχηνότες εἱστήκεσαν τὸ γεγονὸς ἐκπληττόμενοι· καὶ γὰρ ἦν ἐκπλήξεως ἄξιον· θεασάμενοι δὲ τοῦτον ἐφ' ἑτέραν τραπέντα καὶ αὖθις ἐδίωκον. Ὁ δὲ ἐπὶ πολὺ νῶτα τοῖς μεταδιώκουσι στρατιώταις διδοὺς στρέψας τοὺς χαλινοὺς καὶ συναντήσας ἑνὶ τῶν διωκόντων διελαύνει τὸ δόρυ τοῖς στέρνοις· ὁ δὲ τηνικαῦτα εἰς γῆν ὕπτιος ἔκειτο. 4.7.4 Ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς αὖθις τὰς ἡνίας στρέψας εἴχετο τῆς προτέρας ὁδοῦ. Συναντᾷ τοίνυν ἀπὸ τῶν ἔμπροσθεν διωκόντων τὰς Ῥωμαϊκὰς δυνάμεις Κελτοῖς οὐκ ὀλίγοις. Οἱ δὲ πόρρωθεν τοῦτον θεασάμενοι συνησπικότες ἔστησαν τούς τε ἵππους ἀναψῦξαι βουλόμενοι, ἅμα δὲ καὶ ζωγρῆσαι τοῦτον ἐθέ λοντες κἀντεῦθεν ὥσπερ τι λάφυρον τῷ Ῥομπέρτῳ κομί σαι. Ὁ δὲ ἅμα μὲν τοὺς ὄπισθεν φεύγων διώκοντας καὶ τοὺς ἔμπροσθεν θεασάμενος ἀπεγνώκει τὰς σῳζούσας ἐλπίδας. Συλλεξάμενος δὲ ἑαυτόν, ἐπεὶ τῶν ἄλλων μέσον τινὰ ἐθεάσατο ἀπό τε τοῦ σώματος καὶ τῆς τῶν ὅπλων ἀποπαλλομένης αἴγλης τὸν Ῥομπέρτον εἶναι νομίσας καταστήσας τὸν ἵππον κατ' αὐτοῦ φέρεται· κἀκεῖνος δ' ἐκεῖθεν πρὸς αὐτὸν τὸ δόρυ εὐθύνας. Καὶ μέντοι γε καὶ συνελάσαντες ἄμφω κατὰ τὸ μεσαίχμιον κατ' ἀλλήλων ἵενται. 4.7.5 Πρότερος δὲ ὁ αὐτοκράτωρ διιθύνας τὴν χεῖρα παίει τοῦτον διὰ τοῦ δόρατος· τὸ δὲ αὐτόθεν διὰ τῶν μαζῶν εἰς τὰ μετάφρενα διεκβάλλεται. Καὶ τὸν μὲν βάρ βαρον αὐτίκα εἶχε γῆ· εὐθὺς γὰρ τοῦτον ἀφῆκε καὶ ἡ ψυχὴ τῆς τρώσεως καιρίας γεγενημένης. Καὶ τοῦ λοιποῦ ὁ βασιλεὺς διασχισθείσης τῆς φάλαγγος διὰ μέσων αὐτῶν ἐξιππάσατο ἄδειαν ἑαυτῷ ἐφευράμενος τὴν σφαγὴν τοῦ βαρβάρου τούτου. Οἱ δ' εὐθὺς τὸν τρωθέντα εἰς γῆν ἐρριμ μένον θεασάμενοι περιχυθέντες τῷ κειμένῳ περὶ αὐτὸν διεπονοῦντο. Καὶ οἱ ὄπισθεν δὲ τὸν βασιλέα διώκοντες τού τους θεασάμενοι ἀποβάντες τῶν ἵππων καὶ γνωρίσαντες τὸν ἄνδρα ἐκόπτοντο ὀλολύζοντες. Ἀλλ' ὁ Ῥομπέρτος μὲν οὐκ ἦν, ἕτερος δὲ τῶν ἐπιφανῶν καὶ ὁ τούτου δεύ τερος. Τούτων δὲ ἀσχολουμένων ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐπὶ τὰ πρόσω τὴν πορείαν ἐπεποίητο.

4.8.1 Ἀλλ' ἔγωγε μεταξὺ τῶν λόγων ἐπελαθόμην τὸ μὲν διὰ τὴν φύσιν τῆς ἱστορίας, τὸ δὲ καὶ διὰ τὴν τῶν πρα γμάτων ὑπερβολήν, ὅτι πατρὸς κατορθώματα γράφοιμι. Μηδὲ γὰρ βουλομένη τὴν ἱστορίαν ὕποπτον θεῖναι πολ λάκις παρατρέχω